


Tricky Shopping

by Eastofthemoon



Series: Raised By Lions [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Brotherly Love, Family, Fluff, Gen, Sleepy Cuddles, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 23:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9571697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eastofthemoon/pseuds/Eastofthemoon
Summary: Ever since Keith was reunited with Shiro, he finds he likes having him around and Keith is determined to prove he can take care of himself.





	

**Author's Note:**

> After much demand, here's a follow up to my Raised By Lions fic. I'm so glad everyone enjoyed the first story. I'm slowly getting ideas for more stories in this AU, but until I write those, I hope you like this one.

Keith didn’t care much for the planet Ocasta. It was a merchant’s planet, and as a result the market places were far over crowded. Cities in general were too busy and noisy in general and they were the reason Keith always the tranquil outdoors like a forest. However, it did make it easier to blend in when one had to sell under the empire’s nose without anyone looking too closely. Granted, Keith did prefer picking up odd jobs, but he wanted to earn some fast cash and with the scrap metal they had managed to pick up, it was perfect.

The only catch was that he could tell the place was putting Shiro on edge. “You okay?” Keith asked as they weaved through the crowd. 

He hated the crowds, but he wasn’t certain how Shiro felt about them. After spending a year in a jam packed prison as a slave, Keith couldn’t help but worry having too many people around would bring back bad memories for Shiro.

“For the tenth time, I’m fine,” Shiro commented as he adjusted the hooded cape Keith had given him. “Although, I could move a lot better without the cape.”

Keith gave a sympathetic smile. “Sorry, but easier to not stand out,” he said. 

The clothes they had found in the base were certainly better than his slave uniform, but they were baggy, worn and clearly from a military that hadn’t existed in years. 

On the last couple of planets they were on, Keith sixth sense for trouble tingled as he kept catching people staring at the two of them suspiciously and muttering under their breath. Keith was thankful Shiro had the same thought, and didn’t argue when Keith had given him the cape to wear on this trip.

“Yeah, I know,” Shiro said with a half smile. “I’m just wondering if this is what it feels like to be a jedi.”

Keith paused as he adjusted the bag of scrap metal over his shoulder. “A..what?”

Shiro dropped his smile and then shook his head. “Nevermind, Buddy, I’ll explain later.”

Keith gave a small smile as he nodded. It took some adjustment having Shiro along with him, but Keith couldn’t deny it felt good to have someone watch his back. He constantly felt Red’s presence thanks to their bond, and heaven knows she had rescued Keith out of some tight spots, but there were times Keith had to go by himself.

As much as Red disliked it, she had to let Keith leave her behind to retrieve supplies. They were trying to keep a low profile and that was quickly ruined if the locals spotted a giant robot lion walking through their town. 

Despite that, Red always felt uneasy when the 14 year old had to go off on his own, but even she agreed having Shiro along gave them both a sense of security. It was..comforting, and Keith wished to do everything he could to keep it.

Shiro picked up his pace to be next to Keith. “So, where exactly are we going?”

“I told you,” Keith as they turned a corner. “We’re going to sell the scrap metal we collected and turn it into cash.”

“Yes, I got that part,” Shiro said with a nod, “but you didn’t say WHERE we were selling it.”

Keith flinched a bit. He had been avoiding the topic for a good reason. “Um...a shop I’ve been to before.”

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “What kind of shop?”

Keith rubbed his neck. “A shop, that’s a lot like a pawn shop that doesn’t sell to the general public.”

Shiro stopped walking and touched Keith’s shoulder to stop him. “Keith, where exactly are we going?”

Keith chewed his bottom lip. _He’s not going to like this._

 _Just tell him,_ Red growled in his mind. _And then he’ll object and you can go to a safer place._

Keith sighed. Red didn’t like it any better than Shiro did.

“Keith?” Shiro asked.

“It’s a shop that sells stuff to the black market,” Keith said while fiddling with his fingerless gloves. 

Shiro’s eyes widened and then narrowed disapprovingly. “The black market?”

“It’s off the empire’s radar,” Keith stammered, “and it’s the best way to make some fast money.”

“I can understand that,” Shiro replied, “but I’m more concerned about the people we’re dealing with. People who sell on black markets aren’t usually trustworthy.”

“I know,” Keith said, firmly, “but I’ve sold to this shopkeeper before, and so far he hasn’t give me a reason to not trust him.”

Shiro didn’t seem convinced. “I don’t know…”

Keith sighed. “If anything, can you please trust me,” he said. “This is how I’ve survived for the last few years.”

“You shouldn’t have had to,” Shiro muttered darkly under his breath.

Keith’s eyes narrowed. “Shiro…”

“Alright, alright,” Shiro said raised his hands in surrender. “We’ll give this a try.”

Keith’s shoulders relaxed slightly despite hearing Red’s disapproving growl in his head.

“It’s not far from here,” Keith said as he pointed ahead. “Come on, the faster we get there, the faster we can get this done.”

“I don’t know why you’re eager to get some money all of a sudden.” Shiro gave a laugh as he followed. “We got enough supplies, and we’re hardly in a rush.”

Keith smirked. “We don’t have everything.”

Shiro frowned as he folded his arms. “What are we missing?”

Keith merely grinned as he lead the way. “You’ll see, so hurry up.”

Shiro gave a chuckle as he ruffled Keith’s hair and picked up the pace. Keith couldn’t resist keeping his smile. It really felt good to have Shiro around.

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It didn’t take long to reach the shop and there was barely anyone around, which Keith was glad to see. He needed a break from the constant wave of bodies slamming into him.

“So, this is it.” Shiro looked over the place with a hardened gaze like he was inspecting a criminal.

“Yeah.” Keith sucked in air between his teeth and turned to him. Here came the really tricky part. “So, I’m going in and you need to stay out here.”

Shiro blinked in shock. “What?”

“This guy gets real suspicious of strangers,” Keith explained. “I’m more likely to get a better deal if I go in alone.”

“No way,” Shiro replied. “Going to this kind of place is one thing, but I’m not letting you go in there by yourself.”

Keith sighed as he crossed his arms. “Shiro, I know what I’m doing and this won’t take long, I swear.” 

Shiro didn’t look convinced. “Even so, I still feel better if I was in there with you.”

 _So, would I,_ Red growled in agreement, but Keith ignored her.

“You can wait outside the door,” Keith said as he pointed. “Please, just let me do this!”

Shiro’s eyes hardened, and Keith did his best to stare at him back without blinking. Shiro looked tempted to just grab Keith’s arm and drag him away, but he gave a deep sigh.

“Five minutes.” Shiro rubbed his eyes and held up his hand. “If you’re not out in five minutes I’m coming in.”

Keith gave a small smile. “Alright, thank you.”

Shiro gave a nod as he leaned against the shop as if he was standing guard, which he probably was in his mind. “Just be careful, okay.”

“Be back before you know it,” Keith said as he adjusted the bag and slipped in the door.

As the door shut behind him, Keith expected the shopkeeper to greet him, but to his surprise there was no one at the counter.

 _That’s weird,_ Keith thought. _Zeelo is usually glued to that place at this time of day._

Keith glanced around the shop and became more concerned. It had been awhile since he came here, but the place seemed more cluttered than usual. All the items that were usually marked and labelled were in complete disarray as if the person had just tossed them there because they were too lazy to put them in their proper spot. 

He ran a finger over one of the shelves and found a grimy thick layer of dust coating it. This caused Keith to be even more concerned. It wouldn’t bothered him except he knew the owner was a major neat freak. He had once yelled at Keith for accidentally bringing dirt on his clean floor. 

“Zeelo!” Keith called out. “You here?”

He heard movement from behind the curtain that lead to the backroom, and followed by grumbling. The curtain moved and Keith had expected to see a small wrinkled green alien, but instead a four armed red alien that was three times Keith’s size appeared.

“What do you want?” the alien muttered as he folded his upper arms. “I’m in the middle of inventory here.”

Keith looked around, hoping this guy was just hired help. “Where’s Zeelo?”

The alien narrowed his eyes. “You one of his regulars?”

“In a way,” Keith replied as he tried to keep his nerves calm. 

“Guess you haven’t heard the update,” the alien said as he leaned against the counter. “Idiot couldn’t keep up with the rent, so he got kicked out and I bought it.” He pointed to himself.  
“Name’s Gopa and you be smart to remember it.”

Keith’s eyes widened slightly as he silently cursed. Keith had known Zeelo and understood enough of his quirks to haggle with him, but he knew next to nothing about Gopo. That made things risker.

 _Just leave,_ Red encouraged. _There are other places to sell._

His gripped tightened on his bag. The safe route would be to walk back out and explain to Shiro what happened...but that would also mean Keith couldn’t handle this on his own like he said he could. It would give Shiro something else he had to worry about.

Gopo huffed as he drummed his fingers on the counter. “I don’t have all day, Kid. If you’re not here to sell or buy something, then get out of my shop!”

Keith sighed and forced his feet to march forward. “I’m here to sell.” He took the bag and dumped the scrap metal on the counter.

Gopo gave a snort. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

Keith folded his arms. “It’s leftovers from a Galra ship that got blown up.” Tapped the metal. “We both know this stuff is worth melting down.”

It was hard to attack Galra ships because of the thick metal plating they often had. It was made out of a rare metal that was heat resistant and something the empire tried to have sole control over. People would pay good money to get their hands on the stuff to remake into swords or shields.

Gopo examined one of the pieces in his two lower hands and used his top right hand to scratch his chin.

“I’ll pay 100 Gac for the whole bag,” he said simply.

Keith blinked shocked. “What? You’re joking?”

Gopo smirked. “I know, generous aren’t I?”

Keith scowled, not feeling the least bit amused. “This stuff is worth 2000 Gac AT LEAST.”

Gopo laughed. “I’ve been in this business a long time, Kid. This stuff has been damaged, and I could barely make a dagger from this. It’s worth 50 Gac, but I decided to be nice to you today since we just met.”

Keith leaned over the counter. “Really? Because it seems to me you’re either an idiot, or you’re just trying to rip me off!”

Gopo’s eyes narrowed as he slammed the piece of metal back on the counter. “Are you suggesting I don’t know how to run a business, Brat!”

“Isn’t that what I just said!” Keith sneered.

Gopo kept silent as he continued to glare at him. Keith sighed as he began to scoop the scrap metal back into his bag. “Fine, I’ll just take this to another-”

A large hand yanked Keith by the throat causing Keith to drop the bag. He struggled in the grip as he tried to escape, but Gopo lifted him off the ground as if he weighed nothing.

 _Okay, acting tough might not have been the best idea,_ Keith thought.

“You got a lot of nerve, Brat, insulting me like that,” Gopo hissed as he shook a finger from his third arm. “So, here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to take your scrap metal and you get nothing.”

His grip tightened, Keith was getting desperate for air and tried to grab his dagger, but Gopo uses his other two hands to pinned Keith’s arms to his back.

“However, if you apologize to me,” Gopo sneered, “I may decide to let you leave here with all your limbs attached.”

Keith’s vision was going black and he could hear Red growling in alarm, ready to spring into action. _Think of something...anything._

The shop’s door flew opened. Feet raced across the floor. Keith saw something glowing purple fly by his face and hit Gopo in the jaw. The alien cried out in pain as Keith was released. He expected to crash to the floor, but felt a pair of strong arms catch him.

“Keith! Are you okay?!”

Keith coughed as his vision returned to normal and he saw Shiro checking him over.

“Um..yeah,” Keith replied as felt Shiro lift his chin up to look at him in the eye. “I’m alright, just a bit winded.”

Shiro gave a sigh of relief, but it passed as Gopo groaned and staggered, grabbing onto the counter for support.

“You,” he growled as he glared at Shiro, “are in a lot of trouble, Pal.”

Shiro’s concerned expression was replaced with a glare. He shoved Keith behind him and the boy saw the flash of purple again. It was then he realized the source of it was Shiro’s cybernetic arm. It was glowing like it had a life of it’s own.

“Keith,” Shiro said with a growl, “what happened?”

“He was trying to cheat me,” Keith said slowly as he tried to regain his bearings. “When I didn’t go for it and argued back, he was going to take my stuff without paying me.”

“I see,” Shiro said as he stomped forward.

Gopo tried to put on a brave face, but when Shiro slammed his cybernetic fist on the counter, he flinched and Keith spotted a few beads of sweat on his forehead.

“This is what we’re going to do,” Shiro instructed as he shook his other hand in Gopo’s face. “We are going to take back our metal and we’re going to leave your shop.”

“After what you two just pulled?” Gopo spat as he tapped the metal. “I’m taking this as compensation, and you’ll be lucky if I don’t call-”

Shiro seized the wrist with his cybernetic hand and gave it a hard squeeze. Gopo yelped and tried to use his other three arms to pull it free, but failed and fear shone in his eyes.

“L-let go!” Gopo stammered.

“Keith, get the metal,” Shiro ordered. “Now.”

Keith blinked, but nodded as he dashed to the counter and scooped it back to his bag. He watched Shiro, but the man barely flinched as he kept his tight grip on Gopo who seemed to have given up struggling all together.

Once Keith was safely behind him, Shiro let go, but not before he shoved Gopo back and watched the alien flail his arms around madly as he landed on the floor.

“And now, we’re leaving,” Shiro stated as he wrapped an arm around Keith’s shoulders and guided him out of the shop.

Keith glanced back over his shoulder to see Gopo looking shaken and stunned as he attempted to climb back to his feet. Keith buried his face into the bag as they exited the shop and heard Red purring in his mind to give comfort.

 _Geez, I really am just a little kid,_ Keith thought, bitterly.

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Shiro said nothing the whole hike back. It made Keith anxious. The only time he could ever recall Shiro getting that angry was when Iverson had bargged in demanding answers. Even then, Shiro’s body didn’t feel as tense as it did now. Once they were inside Red, Shiro gave a deep sigh as he slumped on the floor with his eyes both firmly shut.

Keith chewed his bottom lip. “Shiro?”

He held up a hand. “I’m fine, Buddy,” he said with his eyes still shut. “Just..need to calm down a bit.”

Keith dumped the bag into a corner and took a seat next to him. Was Shiro angry? He couldn’t tell. His face had been unreadable the whole trip back.

Keith touched his shoulder. “You okay?”

Shiro took a deep breath and let his head stare up towards the ceiling. “I’m fine.”

Keith wasn’t certain what to say, until his eyes landed upon Shiro’s cybernetic arm. “Your arm lit up when you attacked Gopo.”

Shiro blinked and lifted up his arm like he had forgotten. “Oh, yeah, it did,” he muttered and made a fist with it. “It was weird, but as soon as I saw you were in danger my body acted on it’s own.” He gave a bitter laugh. “Guess all that fighting in the ring was useful for something.”

Keith kept quiet. Shiro never enjoyed discussing his time as ‘the Champion’ and he made a point of trying to avoid it for Shiro’s sake when he could. Granted, they both wished they understood how Shiro’s arm worked. All that they did know was that it made Shiro stronger, and thanks to Red’s scanners there was no tracer in it for the Galra to track them down.

“Guess we know now that you can control it,” Keith offered.

“It gave me a boost that’s for certain,” Shiro grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair and looked like he was getting a headache. “Sorry, just tired.”

Keith’s eyes narrowed. “You say you’re fine, but..Shiro you are angry aren’t you?”

Shiro gave a deep sigh and rubbed his face with his human hand.

“Not with you,” Shiro reassured as he turned to look at him. “With that said, from now on, if we’re selling anything, I’m handling it.” He ran a hand through the white tuft of his hair. “I’m angry at myself. I never should have put you in that kind of danger.”

Keith pouted. “I wasn’t in danger.”

 _I beg to differ,_ Red growled.

Shiro’s eyes narrowed, leading Keith to believe Shiro agreed. “Keith, he was choking you,” he said. “You were almost blacking out and...I don’t even want to think what would have happened if I hadn’t been there.”

 _I would have torn that shop apart is what would have happened,_ Red growled. _But Shiro’s plan was more efficient and less messy. I knew there was a reason we kept him around._

Keith sighed. “Why do you only agree with Shiro when it’s against me?” he grumbled.

Shiro raised an eyebrow as he folded his arms. “I take it Red is on my side?”

Keith huffed and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. “Well, you’re both wrong! I can handle it! I’ve done it a dozen times before!”

“And you were lucky!” Shiro replied back as he touched his shoulder. “You may have had to do it before, but things are different now! You don’t have to anymore!”

“But there’s no need to stop when I can do it!” Keith hissed back.

“This isn’t up for debate,” Shiro replied sternly.

“No, it’s not, because I’m going to keep doing it,” Keith cried back.

Shiro growled in frustration as he tugged at his hair. “Keith, I don’t understand,” he said, “why is it so important you do this yourself?!”

“Because I want to prove to you I’m not a burden,” Keith snapped, then instantly regretted it.

Shiro blinked. “What? Burden? What are you talking about?”

The boy blushed as he hugged his knees to his chest and buried his face in them.

 _Arrg, why did I let that slip?_ Keith thought. _Stupid, stupid._

He felt Shiro’s hand on the top of his head. Keith felt his body relax as Shiro gently ran his fingers through Keith’s hair and found himself leaning into it. He sometimes wondered if having Red in his life made him more cat like without realizing it.

“Keith, talk to me,” Shiro asked in a more calm tone. “What did you mean by ‘being a burden’?”

Keith gradually lifted his head to meet with Shiro’s. “I just...I didn’t want you getting sick of feeling like you have to take care of me,” Keith replied as he rubbed his neck. “I mean, I like having you around and, despite what you think, I can take care of myself and-”

“Hey, hey,” Shiro said as he wrapped an arm around Keith and pulled him in. “Keith, you’re hardly a burden. If anything I worry I’m depending on you too much.”

Keith paused and wrinkled his nose in confusion. “You? Why?”

“Because I’m the adult, but you’re the one that knows the places where we can hide, where we can get supplies and earn money,” Shiro explained. “That’s a lot of responsibility to put on a kid’s shoulder.”

“I’m not a kid,” Keith replied and then his eyes soften. “And you’re not a burden. I’m just...trying…”

“To take care of me?” Shiro said with a laugh as he tapped Keith’s forehead with his finger. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to do for you. So, let’s just agree we’re trying to watch each other’s back and neither of us is a burden, okay?”

Keith’s shoulders slumped as he leaned against him. “Yeah, alright.”

Shiro gave a small smile as his eyes landed on the bag of scrap metal. “So, question is, what do we do with this stuff? Is there another shop here you want to try selling it to?”

Keith’s eyes hardened as he quietly thought about it. “Not on this planet,” he said, “but on the next planet over there’s a place we can sell it to.”

Shiro raised an eyebrow. “It’s not another shop connected with the black market is it?” he asked. “I’ve had enough of those today.”

Keith shook his head. “There’s this sword maker I know that will buy it. He can’t offer us as much money, but he’s…” He struggled to think of the right word.

“Safer?” Shiro asked.

“Has more honor, I guess,” Keith replied. “He makes weapons and sells them at a cheap price for other people to defend themselves, and he hates the Galra.”

Shiro gave a small chuckle. “Well, he already sounds better than that Gopo guy.”

“And after that,” Keith said as he leaned into Shiro, “there’s one more stop I want to make.”

Shiro gave a curious look as Keith smirked. “And what’s that?”

“You’ll see,” Keith said as Red purred in his mind. “You’ll see.”

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Shiro’s expression was priceless. It was a mixture of pure bafflement and shock. It made Keith wished he had a camera.

“Is..this place a mall?” Shiro asked.

“A space mall.” Keith glanced around the clock to make certain the coast was clear. “I’ve been here a few times, and it’s an easy place to get supplies.”

He was grateful the stop at the sword maker was quick and painless. As usual, he hadn’t asked Keith many questions as he bought the metal, and the guy had seemed to take an odd liking to Shiro. He had actually smiled, which was rare, and commented he sensed a strong warrior spirit in him. 

Shiro didn’t seem certain how to react, but he gave a smile and thanked him. Right after that, Keith flew Red directly to the mall. He knew it would be the best place to get what they needed.

Keith peeked around the corner of the store and sighed in relief. “Good, no sign of Varkon.”

“Varkon?” Shiro asked as he folded his arms.

“He’s the mall cop here,” Keith explained with a shrug. “And..he thinks I’m a space pirate.”

Shiro narrowed his eyes. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, but he only tries to arrest me if I’m inside the mall,” Keith explained as he lead the way. “We’ll just duck in and out real quick, and we shouldn’t have any problems.”

“Of course,” Shiro said as he rubbed his eyes, “but why do I get the sudden feeling I need to keep you on one of those kid leashes.”

 _He’s not wrong,_ Red said with a laugh. _You do have a knack for trouble, Cub._

Keith rolled his eyes as he spotted the store up ahead. He gave a grin to Shiro as he pointed. “Here we are.”

He stood back and enjoyed Shiro’s confused face become even more befuddled as he looked into the shop. “Is that a cow?”

Kaltenecker gave a loud moo from the back of the store. “This store sells stuff from Earth,” Keith explained as they entered. “I come here sometimes when I’m missing stuff from there.”

Shiro frowned slightly as he stepped in and poked through a box near the front of the store. “Beggars can’t be choosers I suppose,” he said.

Keith was going to reply when there was movement from the back and a large grey headed alien emerged. His eyes filled with joy as he saw him.

“Keith! My favorite customer!” the alien exclaimed as he rushed over. “What can I interest you in today? An Earth baseball bat? Or perhaps a genuine Earth potato peeler?”

Keith raised his hands as he took a step back. The shop owner was always glad to see him, but he always got way too close in Keith’s personal space. “I just need some clothes this time.”

The shopkeeper frowned. “Clothes?”

“For my friend,” Keith said as he pointed behind him. Shiro raised his head in equal confusion as he set back down a small book he’d been looking at. “For me?”

The shopkeeper frowned as he looked over Shiro and gave a nod. “Bit bigger than what I normally have.” He snapped his fingers. “But I should have something! Anything for my favorite customer!”

The alien happily muttered to himself as he dashed to the back room. Shiro moved next to Keith, still clutching what he had found in the box. “Favorite customer?” he asked, dryly.

Keith sighed. “More like his ONLY customer. Earth mechanised isn’t that popular out here.”

“Ah,” Shiro replied and frowned to Keith. “And what exactly did you mean clothes for me?”

“You need clothes that actually fit you and don’t make you stand out like a sore thumb,” Keith stated as he folded his arms over his chest. “That was why I wanted to earn money fast and I figured this place would have the best of having something you would like.”

Shiro’s eyes soften as he patted Keith’s head. “I appreciate that thought, but you should have just explained that to me from the start.”

“If I had you would have insisted you were fine with anything,” Keith replied seriously. “I..wanted to at least get you something you like.”

Shiro gave a small laugh. “And you were worrying about being a burden?”

Keith wanted to reply, but was cut off as the shopkeeper returned with a small box. “I don’t have a lot,” he said as he reached into the box and held out a black sleeveless shirt with a matching undershirt and black pants, “but these should fit.”

Shiro fingered the material and gave a nod. “These should do thank you.”

The alien grinned as his eyes glimmered with hope. “Will that be all?” he said and looked to Keith. “Don’t suppose I can convince you to take Kaltenecker? She’s free with purchase.”

“No, thanks,” Keith said as he reached into his pouch for the money. “We don’t have room for a cow.”

“But we will also take this,” Shiro stated as handed over the small book that had been in his hand. 

The alien looked over the object and nodded. “Oh, yes! The latest in Earth literature! A fine choice!”

“Literature?” Keith asked as he tried to see the book. “Shiro, what are you buying?”

Shiro didn’t answer as he took the book back. “Trust me on this,” he said as he picked up a box. “Let’s pay him and see if we can buy some food to take with us.”

Keith gave a suspicious frown, but did as Shiro asked and paid the shopkeeper.

“Safe travels,” the alien said. “Oh, and Keith, go out the back entrance. Varkon should be patrolling the front at this time of day.”

Keith waved a thanks as they exited the store. He tried to see what exactly Shiro had bought, but the man had placed it inside the box. 

“You’ll see when we’re back on Red,” he said with a smirk. 

Keith scratched his head, but gave a shrug as his brain began to decide on where the best place to buy food was.

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“How do I look?” Shiro asked as he finished adjusting his shirt. 

“You look like a regular Earthling,” Keith commented from his seat on the floor inside Red. “So, vast improvement?”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Shiro took the seat next to him. “With that said, thanks for thinking of the clothes.”

Keith shrugged. “We’re watching each other’s backs, right?” he said as he crossed his legs. “You’d do the same for me.”

Shiro smiled as he ruffled Keith’s hair and then reached into the box next to them. “Speaking of which, this was what I bought at the store earlier.” He handed it to Keith. “It’s a surprise for you.”

The boy frowned as he took the book and stared at the bright letters. “A collection of Superman comics?” he said aloud and flipped through the pages. “So the ‘fine Earth literature’ is a bunch of comics?”

Shiro shrugged. “I don’t know about fine literature.” He wrapped his arm around Keith, “but I do recall you enjoyed that one Superman comic I gave to you when we first met.”

Keith blushed slightly and nodded. “I still have it actually.”

Shiro’s eyes widened. “You do?”

“I kept it inside my jacket,” Keith explained as he rubbed his neck. “I must have read it a hundred times.”

 _More like a thousand,_ Red commented. _I always did enjoy it when you read it to me._

“Yeah, I remember,” Keith laughed and then saw Shiro’s confused look. “Oh, um, I use to read it aloud to Red too.”

 _Man, I really got to find a way for Red and Shiro to communicate that doesn’t involve me translating,_ Keith thought.

“Ah, gotcha.” Shiro pulled Keith in closer. “Want to read it together for old time’s sake?”

Keith gave a small grin and was already opening to the first page. “Sure, but just don’t do that goofy voice you always did for Lex Luthor.”

“Hey, I do great voices,” Shiro protested as he poked Keith’s ribs. “Just for that I’m doing a high pitched one for Lois.”

Keith chuckled as he leaned against him. Together they read they first ten pages, but after awhile, Keith found himself shutting his eyes as he continue to listen to Shiro. After several more minutes, Shiro stopped reading altogether and Keith felt a blanket wrapped around them.

Keith gave a small grin as he enjoyed the warmth. Before, part of Keith had always worried about falling asleep. He was always afraid that someone would find he and Red, and attack, but he didn’t have that fear anymore. With Red purring in his mind and knowing Shiro was right there, Keith was finding it much easier to sleep these days.


End file.
